Picture : Twitter / ANI
It is election time yet again as five states go to the polls in the summer months. The results of those which will have a national impact for sure. Polls are to be held for 294 seats in West Bengal, 234 seats in Tamil Nadu, 140 seats in Kerala, 126 seats in Assam and 30 seats in the Union Territory of Puducherry.
The elections will also decide the fate of incumbent chief ministers – Sarbananda Sonowal ( Assam), Mamata Banerjee (West Bengal) , EK Palaniswami ( Tamil Nadu) and Pinarayi Vijayan ( Kerala).
In Puducherry, President’s Rule has been imposed and the assembly kept under suspended animation after the V Narayanasamy-led Congress government resigned earlier this week ahead of a vote of confidence.
The Election Commission in its press briefing has announced the polls dates for the states of – Assam, West Bengal Tamil Nadu , Kerala and Puducherry.
Sunil Arora, Chief Election Commissioner said : “Adequate CAPFs deployment shall be ensured during elections. All critical, vulnerable polling stations identified and an adequate number of CAPFs will be deployed. A total of 824 assembly constituencies shall be going for polls during these elections. 18.68 crore electors will cast vote at 2.7 lakh polling stations in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry.”
Arora further stated , Term of Assam assembly up to 31st May, no. of assembly seats 126, SC-8, ST-16; Term of Tamil Nadu- May24, no. of seats 234, SC-44, ST -2; Term of WB assembly till May30, seats 294, SC-68, ST-16; Kerala assembly-1 June, seats-140, SC- 14, ST-2; Puducherry seats-30 SC-5, ST-nil.
Arora added , Model Code of Conduct to come into force immediately after the announcement of the election dates.
Assam assembly elections to be held in 3 phases- 1st phase of polling- 27th March, second phase polling-1st April and third phase of polling-6th April; Date of counting 2nd May
Assembly elections -Kerala goes to polls on 6th April; counting of votes on 2nd May
Tamil Nadu assembly elections to be held in a single phase on 6th April; counting of votes on 2nd May
Puducherry elections to be held on 6th April, counting on 2nd May
West Bengal will vote in 8 phases from March 27 – April 29 . 1st phase: 30 constituencies: March 27
2nd phase: 30 constituencies: April 1
3rd phase: 31 constituencies: April 6
4th phase: 44 constituencies: April 10
